ORDER COLEOPTERA. 393 



last, as well as in silpha, is all covered with prominent and 

 granular points. It opens, either laterally or directly, into a 

 smooth inflation, which, according to ]\I. Dufour, may be 

 compared to a coecum. It receives on the side a sort of oval 

 or oblong purse, making part of the excrementitious appa- 

 ratus. The number of biliary vessels, which are slender, 

 very long, and greatly folded, and have each a proper inser- 

 tion around the extremity of the chylific ventricle, is four. 

 It appears from the figure of the digestive canals of 7iecro- 

 phorus vespillo, given by Ramdolir, that its large intestine, 

 instead of being covered with granular papillae, should have 

 muscular ribands transverse, and forming annular folds. 



Silpha vespillo, Lin. Oliv. Col. II. 10, i. 1, is from seven 

 to nine lines in length, black, with the last three articulations 

 of the antennas red, and two orange bands, transverse and 

 denticulated on the cases, and the haunches of the two hinder 

 feet armed with a strong tooth. Their legs are curved. 



N. Mortuortcm, Fab. Panz. Faun. Insect. Germ. XLI. 3, 

 is smaller, with the antennae entirely black. The second 

 transverse orange band of the elytra of the preceding species, 

 forms here usually only a large spot of a crescent form. 



It is particularly found in woods, and often on mush- 

 rooms. 



N". germanicus, Fab. Oliv. ibid. 1, 2, a. b. often more than 

 an inch in length. It is altogether black, with the external 

 edge of the elytra fawn-colour, and a spot of ferrugineous 

 yellow on the front. 



N. humator, Fab. Oliv. ibid. 1,2, c. differs from the pre- 

 ceding by the orange-colour of the knob of the antennae. It 

 is also constantly smaller. 



North America furnishes many species, one of which es- 

 pecially {gratidis. Fab.) surpasses all the others in size. 

 This genus appears, hitherto at least, to be confined to the 

 northern countries of this continent, and of Europe. (See 



